CATO INSTITUTE: State and federal governments in the United States face massive looming fiscal deficits. One policy change that can reduce deficits is ending the drug war. Legalization means reduced expenditure on enforcement and an increase in tax revenue from legalized sales. This report estimates that legalizing drugs would save roughly $41.3 billion per year […]
Month: September 2010
The Crossings should not be built in flood plain
Two Lancaster County TIGER II (federal economic incentive) grant request projects – the rebuilding of the U.S. 30/Harrisburg Pike Interchange and the widening of a stretch of Harrisburg Pike – were initiated and promoted by High Real Estate Group (HREG), that plans to build a large shopping center [The Crossings] on Harrisburg Pike. The amount […]
Re letter: Outsourcing Public Libaries
This is a terribly biased article based on the author’s obviously limited knowledge of library operations. It is not the rule for library employees to be unionized; this is probably only the case when the library is part of the county or city government, which is not the case for any of Lancaster County’s Libraries. […]
INTELLIGENCER NEW ERA
Article “Millersville approves fire merger” reports “Millersville borough acted Monday to adopt the Blue rock Fire District, which will replace four fire companies which serve the borough and Manor Township.” WATCHDOG: Three wags of the tail! Now let’s move ahead with the concept of a regional police department. It is unlikely that the historic boro […]
Gallup: Voters Split Evenly Between Dems, GOP
From THE HILL: Registered voters are split over whether they will vote for a Republican or a Democrat in the November midterm elections, the latest Gallup generic ballot poll shows. The survey released Monday shows Democrats and the GOP in a 46-46 percent tie among those asked what party’s candidate they would vote for on Nov. 2.
Bork: Canada Prostitution Ruling Could Happen Here
In a landmark decision, a Toronto judge on Tuesday struck down a series of prostitution laws on the books in Canada, arguing that they violated the “right to security of the person as protected under the Canadian Charter of Rights and Freedoms.” The ruling could lead to legalized brothels north of the border…
Recession affecting every aspect of American life
USA TODAY: The nation’s financial crisis is altering Americans’ way of life from the home and the workplace to the highway and the altar, according to 2009 Census data released Tuesday. Median household income — the level where half make more and half make less — fell 2.9% from $51,726 in 2008 to $50,221 last […]
Historic lows in mortgage rates fail to motivate
USA TODAY: Consumers are practically shrugging off the lowest mortgage rates in history. They have their reasons for hesitating to buy homes or to refinance existing mortgages, freeing up cash to spend: Eleven million residential properties are worth less than the mortgages on them. Nearly 15 million Americans are unemployed… (more)
Consumer Confidence Index tumbles
FINANCIAL TIMES: American consumers and business leaders are increasingly cautious about the US economic recovery, battered by persistently high unemployment and slow growth, according to two separate survey results. Consumer confidence, as measured by the Conference Board, tumbled far more than expected this month, from a reading of 53.2 in August to 48.5 in September […]
Middle ground up for grabs in Senate race
PITTSBURGH TRIBUNE-REVIEW: Michael Moreken is stuck in the middle. On his left stands Democratic Senate candidate Joe Sestak, a Delaware County congressman who voted for the health care overhaul that will strip $500 million in Medicare Advantage subsidies. On his right is Republican Senate candidate Pat Toomey, a former congressman and one-time investment banker who […]
Census figures in region show poor getting poorer
PHILADELPHIA INQUIRER: The poor got poorer and the well-off didn’t get any better in the Philadelphia region in 2009, according to U.S. census figures released Tuesday. Philadelphia retained its unwanted position as the poorest among the country’s 10 largest cities, with a poverty rate of 25 percent. Making a bad situation worse, the number of […]
Amtrak rolls out ambitious, high-speed service plan
PHILADELPHIA INQUIRER: Amtrak officials Tuesday unveiled their vision for true high-speed service along the Northeast Corridor, with trains that could travel between Philadelphia and New York in 38 minutes. The proposed new high-speed service between Washington and Boston, with trains that could travel at 220 miles per hour, would require its own dedicated tracks and […]
4,100 Students Prove ‘Small Is Better’ Rule Wrong
From the NEW YORK TIMES: BROCKTON, Mass. — A decade ago, Brockton High School was a case study in failure. Teachers and administrators often voiced the unofficial school motto in hallway chitchat: students have a right to fail if they want. And many of them did — only a quarter of the students passed statewide […]
F & M Over reacted
From a city police press release: At 8:20 PM on Monday, September 27, 2010, numerous Lancaster City Police Officers, assisted by members of the detective division, responded to 600 Race Ave., Franklin and Marshall College after security officers at the college reported they observed a subject enter the trunk of his vehicle and then walk […]